The Root of the Les Criticism IMHO.

I'm thinking there are at least 2-3 losses over the Miles tenure that have potentially costs either a title or a shot at a title. This is what frustrates me and most fans in my opinion. We have had top-5 talent every year and it FEELS like we should have been to and won at least one more title. We think to ourselves is there a coach out there that would get us over the hump to domination (multiple BCS titles). We want to say yes and don't see Les as that guy.

With that being said, while there may be a handful of coaches that could get us over that hump, there ARE THOUSANDS of coaches that would not have won 10 games a season year in and year out and established our program the way he has. He has done an outstanding job in that respect building a consistent winner, but it's those, "ones we let get away" that leads to my frustration at times (Auburn 2006, Alabama 2011, Alabama and Florida this year etc).

We are not the only team in the country who fields top 5 talent consistently and then lets a few games get away from us. Alabama has done the same, and are very lucky to have gotten back into the big game last season and possibly this season.

quote:He directly game day coaches us out of games costing us a shot at the NC (see Bama this year). The team almost won despite his game day coaching.

This is how I feel too. He is a great recruiter but he is average at best when it comes to actual game day coaching. Sometimes it appears that he is clueless out there (doesn't know what down it is or how many time outs we have, very poor time management, etc). He is pig-headed and stubborn when it comes to making changes. Sometimes we win games because of sheer talent, even when he's done his best to coach us out of the game. The 85-20 overall record is impressive, but let's see what happens if we continue to play 2nd fiddle to Bama for the next couple of years.

quote:I'm thinking there are at least 2-3 losses over the Miles tenure that have potentially costs either a title or a shot at a title.

This reminds me of 2002 Arkansas game when Saban settled for a field goal and then allowed back to back hail mary passes to cost us a trip to Atlanta.

quote:This is what frustrates me and most fans in my opinion.

What frustrates me is that people don't realize that it happens to every coach, even the best ones. I'll give you two other Saban games: 2003 Florida (easily could have cost LSU the title)and 2004 Auburn(cost LSU a trip to Atlanta).

Saban was a great coach at LSU, but even he had some tough ones. It happens to all of them, but people have short memories.

This has ALWAYS been the problem for some, and since day one have looked for reason to vilify the guy. That's not to say he's been perfect...no coach ever has been. But then that's the point, isn't it? Miles is seemingly held to standard literally no other coach is, or has been. We've got people bitching on this site because they are unable to see that other than BAMA there is literally no other program in the nation we ought to envy...

It's not debatable that Les has been more successful then Nick was as LSU's coach. The numbers don't lie. Les' problem was that where Nick was able to tell the fans to essentially go frick themselves because he was working on the process (and for the first time in the history of our state EVERYONE seemed to get on board) Les seems more affable and more of a target for criticism.

Truth is for some here, no amount of winning or championships or anything would make Miles equal to their long lost unrequited love now residing in Tuscaloosa.

quote:The only thing that frustrates me with Les is his handling of the offense

He can't realize that the power I with one receiver shite doesn't work in the SEC.

The one thing that pisses me off about Les the most is he seems to do things just in spite of what is logical. (Playing JJ last year, Warecat, his clock management). I honestly don't believe the man is not that intelligent. Nothing else would explain some of his decisions.

i agree. i think it would've been a huge risk to let miles go but most of us are frustrated with the ability of our teams to make that final step. it is clearly the inability of the offense to perform at a level consistent with the defense that is holding us back from winning more championships. first it was the OL ('09, etc) that couldn't block shit, then it was the qb's and now it is both (at least this year). are offense is built to power run with the 3rd down pass to get the first down. really good defenses or even decent defenses that scheme to stop our run have had too much success against our offense. a good defense forces and offense to make plays and our O has not (in general) stepped up to the challenge over an entire season. we have had some damn bad luck; OL attrition, krag's illness, etc but we need to get over the offense hump if we are going to win more titles. our frustration, as fans, is that miles ain't getting it done on that side of the ball. yes, we score enough to win most games but it is obvious to all that we are not a top offense. hell, we can't even power run at critical game times anymore against quality opponents. we need something and i, like most, feel that a quality OC might make a difference. having stud as OC is only OJT for a line coach and that experiment should end. let stud go find a different school to learn the craft. we need to get an established quality guy that can have the authority to build a balanced offense. i think we can find a replacement for stud as OL coach pretty easily.

Another big thing people hate is that he is awkward. I rather enjoy listening to the sentences he throws together and his mannerisms on the field. I much rather watch him chew grass than have a stroke like the OBC or Saban.

1. He isn't perfect(however perfection may be defined in the minds of people that have little depth to their football knowledge). 2. He isn't Nick Saban(who IS perfect in the minds of people with little depth to their football knowledge). 3. None of which matters to some people who are chronically disappointed in their own lives and project that onto Les Miles. 4.Some are just hopeless numbnutz.

quote:The only thing that frustrates me with Les is his handling of the offense over the last few years. I do not think he made improving the offense a priority.

I got news for you. Our offense is a power run game offense. It ends up ranked where it is because so many teams are out there throwing it all over the place.

We are an offensively conservative team that plays great defense and game plans to be in it at the ens of every game and most of the time that is exactly what happens.

Those bitching about us being something else are misguided.

Those bitching because Les' coaching cost us a loss to 'bama this year are stupid. What cost us against 'bama was a PLAYER (Mills) not PLAYING his assignment and blitzing on a play instead of taking care of his assignment. This is a player that likely will play in the nfl but on THAT play he fricked up.

No coach (not even saint Nicky) can coach around evry player's brain fart.